Connecticut western news., 1887-04-06
HOW HILDA MANAGED.
BY HELEN FORREST GRAVES.


 Mir. Webb knocked apologetically on the glass counter of the bakery with the handle of his whip. It seemed almost Q liberty thus unceremoniously- to address the gaily attired young woman who was adding up the accounts behind the tall desk.
 He stood near the door, keeping a sharp lookout on the barefooted boy who was holding his sleepy old horse for had he not heard, many tims and oft, of the wicked ways of juvenile New York7 .a. In reply to his respectful question, the young woman nodded her head and curtly answered:
 up stairs"
 'It's pretty big house," said Mir. Webb, glancing about him. ''The Mur- rays wasn't rich when they lived down our way; but Rachel never had good judgment. I should say, now, the rent of house like this"
 "Is ain't house." said the young woman, speaking with lead pencil be- tween her teeth. '
 "Ain't house, eh2' Martin Webb's honest, onion,c ,colored eyes gradually ex- banded, until you would have thought the lids could scarcely contain them. "Not-a house?"
 'No; it's flat. Fourth story, back room. Name of Murray. Staircase just out in the hall there"
 And so for the first time in his life, Mir. Webb found himself in the precincts of "hat."
 He lost his way half doz,n of times, thls gaunt, good-humored giant, with a ham In his arms, two or three strings of country sausage over his shoulder, and a basket of red apples clasped tightly against his breast. That was Q matter of course.
 He walked into the kitchen of one flat, brought up in the parlor of another, and presented himself, smiling, at the late breakfast table of third, where Q luckless printer, who worked all night on the early edition of morning paper, was sleepily chipping the shell of an egg.
 "Call them eggsa" said Martin, con- temptuously. If our Wolf's Corners hens can't beat that 'ere sort O thing-But Pm sure I ask pardon; guess pve got into the wrong fat. P'r'aps you can tell me where a lady named Murray lives2"
 And by dint of many such question ings and inquiries, MT. Webbat last go' himself, his red apples, ham and saus. ages into scantily furnished room look. ing out on bare brick wall-a room where everything had starved look, even down to the cat, which sat intently watching mouse-hole in the wainscot- ing.
 Mrs. Murray, Q tall, pinched, elderly woman, was engaged, tn. ough double pair of spectacles, in mending fine laces but the slow motion of her needle, tho uncertain expression of her face, denoted no very brilliant success.
 And seated on the window-ledge op- posite her, riding habit of dark green cloth, a beaver hat, with black green veil twisted around it, and a jaunty little ivory handled whip, was a pretty girl of Is or 20.
 Both started at the entrance of Mir. Webb, both smiled glad recognition.
 "Why," cied Mrs. Murray, 'ft'. cousin Martin Hilda, give your cousi, a chair. Ideclare, Martin, I am sur prised to see you here!'
 "No more'n Ibe to get here, I guess, returned the farmer, with peculiar chuckling noise down in his throat "These 'ere city folks, they do take tn starch outen fellow. Ain't much lik our medder flats down at Wolf's Go. ner eha Here, cousin Rachel, I've brun. ye one of Eliza's best sugar-cured ham an some sassages, and bushel of tn apples that growed on the tree beyont the well-the real, red checked Jose, Moore's, you know"
 'It's very kind of you, I am sure, sait Mrs. Murray. "Hilda, can you no offer our cousin some refreshments afte his journey"
 Hilda colored painfully. How coult she explain to her mother that tn cupboard was utterly empty, even of crust of bread2
 'Tll bring up something directly, she murmured.
 And then she vanished.
 From one good-hearted neighbor-th very printers wife, indeed-she Dor. rowed potful of freshly-made coffee from another, a few slices of cold boiled beef; from third, a pan of new-baket biscuits, with little butter and com1 of honey, and then she flew back t spread the frugal meal.
 "Are they all we'll, cousin Webb2' she asksd, tinidly, as, holding up he riding habit with ons hsnd, shs as